


Christmas Cheer

by Vasilisian



Series: Daily Drabbles [15]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bill gets a gift in the mail, Gen, Jennie goes home for the holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-17 20:01:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18972010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vasilisian/pseuds/Vasilisian
Summary: Obligatory Christmas fic.Jennie goes home for the holidays, finds out on the train-ride home that Bill's birthday is in December, and sends him a little something as a thank you for his help. Then she spends some quality time with her mum.





	Christmas Cheer

“ _Hello Bill,_

_I would have gotten you something before I left, but I didn't know your birthday was last month until after I got on the train, and by then it was too late. We don't know each other very well, but you helped me when others would have ignored my problems, so I wanted to get you something as a thank you._

_Merry Christmas to you and your family._

_PS. Please don't tell anyone at Hogwarts about this, they've just barely forgiven me for the broom._

_Jennie Taylor.”_

 

Bill looked up from the letter at the package it had come with. Well, it wasn't another broom, unless she'd had someone shrink it down.

“Come on Bill, open it!” said Fred.

“Who's it from?” asked George. The rest of the Weasley's were equally curious, if a bit more controlled, and Bill couldn't help but notice that Charlie was oddly quiet.

Pushing their curious fingers aside, the sixteen-year-old started removing the bright wrapping paper as carefully as he could. The twins groaned impatiently, urging him to move faster, and even though he was tempted to go even slower, his curiosity kept him going. He had no idea what Taylor would choose as a gift for him, especially since she was a muggle-born. Maybe she'd gotten him something Muggle? Dad would love that.

Underneath the wrapping was a plain box with four flaps folded over each other. Giving the middle a tug, he was greeted with a small stack of flat rectangles, a small box with a strange picture on it, another letter and something that looked like earmuffs, but weird. And a book, which he found after taking out the other things. 'Salem's Lot. A quick look at the back told him that it was a horror book about a small town in America. Cheerful.

Grabbing the second letter, Bill saw that Jennie had written an explanation of what her gift was and how to use it. There was also an address in London at the bottom, were he could supposedly buy more 'cassettes'.

“What is it, Bill?” Mum was busy keeping the twins away from the box, but Dad had come closer when Bill pulled out the obviously Muggle object.

“A 'Walkman'. You put one of these 'cassettes' in it, and it'll play music through this.” He tapped the 'headphones'. Muggles really came up with the strangest things. But he couldn't deny that it was a cool gift, and after looking over the instructions one more time, Bill put in the cassette with 'Queen – My Favourites' scribbled on the front, put on the headphones and pressed the sideways triangle.

Angelic voices instantly sang into his ears, several men harmonizing a way he'd never heard before. Then a piano joined, some drums, and then one of the most mesmerizing voices he'd ever heard sang about killing a man to his mother. Bill had just gotten into the song when it cut to a jumpy piano tune, and the rest, as they say, is history.

William 'Bill' Weasley had just been introduced to Queen through one of their most iconic songs ever, Bohemian Rhapsody.

 

–

 

“I wonder if he'll like it. He's looks like the kind of guy that likes rock, and I've yet to meet anyone that doesn't enjoy Queen, but you never know.” Jennie worried her lip, hot chocolate in one hand as Can't Help Falling In Love playing softly from the vinyl player. It might not be a Christmas song, but Elvis's soft croon fit the cosy atmosphere of their apartment.

Lights were strung over the windows, a heavily decorated tree standing next to the repurposed fireplace housing their vinyl collection. Presents wrapped in bright paper sit in a small pile under it, with Jennie and her mum sitting on the floor in the middle of the room on their pastel pink shag carpet. Combined with the multi-coloured pillows, it made for an eyesore of a living room if you weren't used to it.

“I'm sure he'll love it, and if he doesn't, he can just get different cassettes.” Pursing her lips, Jennie tested her hot chocolate to see if it had cooled down enough to drink.

“I don't think that they have that much money though. I'm pretty sure Charlie is wearing his brothers old uniform, they changed the style two years ago and his is in the old one. His Quidditch gear is provided by the school, and I've seen him wearing his Quidditch sweater several times in the library. Plus, some of the kids in my house mentioned that the Weasley's are poor.” Her mum hummed.

“Well, you included plenty of genres, he'll find something he likes. And he got a Walkman along with headphones as well, and those things don't come cheap. Stop worrying and drink your hot chocolate. I worked hard on that, you better enjoy it.” Grinning, Jennie took a sip and made a face just to tease her mum, gigging when that got a huff out of the woman.

“I see how it is. I blow off several Christmas events and parties to spend it with my lovely daughter who came back from boarding school, and she just wants to make fun of me.” Putting down her mug, Jennie scooted over to hug her mum dramatically, being careful to not knock the woman's own drink out of her hand.

“Oh mother, I'm so sorry I made you feel unappreciated! I'll make it up to you, I swear. How about a gift?” Grabbing one of the gifts, Jennie held it out with a smirk. Her mum snorted, taking it with one hand. They spent the next hour opening gifts and snacking, taking their time with each present. The rest of the day was also spent inside, talking about what they'd been up to, Samantha sharing Jennie with funny stories from work.

“So I'm hanging upside down at this point, and I'm thinking 'thank god this is a tight dress', the crew is trying to get me back onto the balcony and then he starts _crying_ and apologizing, as if that's going to help. And then the director just gives up, because we're a dozen tries in at this point and he still can't do it right, so the whole scene got cut. I swear, I was ready to strangle the both of them, because I'd been walking on this balcony rail in heels for the past two hours, and all this idiot had to do was pull me down into his arms, except he kept pushing off me instead.”

Jennie was laughing so hard tears streamed down her face, dressed in the massive sweater that had been one of the gifts. She had no interest in becoming an actress herself, but it was obvious that her mum loved her job, even if it got a bit annoying at times.

 


End file.
